Automatic firearm



1 192 Aug 6 7 v. cAPoLuPo AUTOMATIC FIREARM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Slept. 24. 1925 F' la. l

Fla. 2 J5 PUG, s, FIG.. 4.

attorney!) 1,639,425 Aug. 16, 1927. AV. CAPOLUPO AUTOMATI C FIREARM Filed Sept. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

'VINCENZO CAPOLUPO, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

Application tiled September 24, 1925. Serial No.` 58,448.

'I his invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic firearms ofthe type wherein the handle or grip of the-pistol constitutes a magazine or chamber for cartridges, the pistol embodying the slldbroken away of the magazine cane for the automatic pistol constructed in accordance with the present invention, the head of the cane being retained in position upon the cane stick against spring tension thereon and ing breech retracted by a recoil movemend adapted for automatic projection, incident to firing for discharging a spent 'Flgure 2 1s a slde elevational view, partly shell and feeding a new shell into the muzzle of the barrel and forwardly of the tensioned hammer or firing pin.

In the ordinary type of automatic pistol,

-the spent shell is automatically ejected and a new shell placed in firing position requir ing manual operation of the trigger for each tiring operation. The primary object of this invention is to provide an attachment for an automatic pistol, preferably of the type embodyin a sliding breech in which the pistol is capaile of machine gun operation, i. e., repeated firing Operation by holding the trigger at its limit of firing movement to .retain the trigger connector disengaged from the Sear and to construct the breech slide for cooperation with the attachment for automatically operating the Sear to release the firing A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for an automatic pistol to render the same continuous in its tiring operation similar to a machine gun and further to provide means carried by the trigger guard of the pistol and associated with the trigger for limiting movement thereof and controlling operation of said attachment to permit only a single firing of the pistol in the event that the trigger should be inadvertently retained in its tiring position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic pistol of the type above set forth wherein the magazine grip thereof is adapted to be associated with an elongated cartridge chamber constructed in simulation of a cane or walking stick for the purpose of supplying a greater number of cartridges to the pistol.

With the above and other objectsin view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel form, combination and arrangement-of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away of the cane with the automatic pistol with the grip magazine thereof mounted upon the upper end of the cane,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1 showing the latch for retaining the cane head in position upon the cane stick and the automatic pro- ]ection spring,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational vlew of the upper end of the cane stick,

Flgure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the upper end of the cane stick with the cartridge magazine chamber thereof shown in full lines,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of an automatic pistol with the side plates of the hand grip removed to show the attachment 1n position for cooperation with the trigger connector and sear.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view, similar to Fig. 6 showing the breech slide in its partially retracted position, the trigger in its firing position,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational v1ew of thepistol showing the attachment for the trigger guard in position to limit firing movement of the trigger and for holding the attachment inoperative relative to the breech slide,

Figure 9 is'a perspective view of the attachment for the pistol,

Figure 10 is a detail sectional View taken on line X-X of Fig. 6,

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lever forming a part of the attachment that operates the sear, and

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the spring arm that carries the block for limiting movement of the\trigger.

The present invention relates to an automatic pistol wherein an attachment prof vided therefor renders the operation of the pistol similar to a machine gun, or in other words, makes the firing of the pistol continuous as long as the trigger is retained in firing position, and also provides for an increased supply of cartridges for use with the pistol, the latter bein adapted to be attached to an elongate cartridge chamber,

The cane handle 4 as shown in detail in Fig.`

3 contains a coil sprin 5 that engages the upper end of the cartri ge tube 3 to be compressed thereby when the handle 1s mounted upon the cane as shown in Fig. 1 and to ref' tain the handle in position against the tension ofthe s rin 5 a tensioned latch lever 6 is carried y the upper end of the cane stick 1 an`d provided with an operating finger piece 7 projecting through an opening 8 in the cane stick, said latch lever further having a pawl 9 to be proJected through the opening 10 in 'the lower end of the handle 4. It will, therefore, be seen that when the finger piece 7 is operated against spring tension thereon, the pawl 9 will be removed from the opening 10 in the handle .and the spring 5 within the latter will eJect the handle from the cane stick.

The type of automatic pistol with which the attachment is associated is conventional and generally illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein the reference numeral 11 designates the body portion or frame of the pistol that includes a barrel 12, a breech slide 13 having a side wall 14, a magazine grip 15 anda trigger gluard 16. The hammer or firing pin whic is not illustrated 1s controlled 1n its operation by the Sear 17 that in turn is operated by the connector 18 carried bythe trigger 19, operation of the rin mechanism, of course, being controllje -@by the usual safety grip lever or finger piece 20 at the rear side of the magazine grip 15. In mounting the pistol upon the cane stick 1, the usual cartridge carrier is removed from the magazine grip 15 and the latter is placed upon the upper projecting end of the cartridge carrier or tube 3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The attachment for eecting continuous or repeated firing of the pistol is shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 12 and embodies a plate 21 carrying a depending leg 22 having an openin 23 therein adjacent the lower end thatis allned with an opening in the magazine grip which receives the fastening screw that secures the side plate of the magazine grip in osition, the plate 21 and leg 22 being con ned within the side plate. It being intended that this attachment is capable of association with various types of automatic y pistols, the configuration of the plate 21 and eg 22 may be changed as desired. The screw for holding the plate 21 in position is indicated by the reference numeral 25 in Figs. 6 and 7. The element embodying the plate 21 and leg 22 is further retained 1n its" roper position by lip projections 26 carried y the upper edge of the plate received in notches 27 formed in the frame 11 of the pistol.

As shown in detail in Fig. 9, a. the plate 21 is of s aced wall formation and between which wa ls the lever 28 shown in detail in Fig. 1l is pivotally mounted. The upper end 30 of the lever 28 occupies a .osition adjacent the' lower edge of the slde are of wall 14 of the breech slide 13 while the leg 34 thereof anchored to the lower end of' the plate leg 22 while the other leg 35 of the spring engages the pin extension 31 upon the lower end of the lever 28 for moving the pin 31 in a direction toward the stop 32 as shown y in'Figs. 6.and 7.

The breech slide 13 is constructed for cooperation with the upper end 30 of the lever 28, the lower edge of the side Wall 14 of the breech 13 being cut away as at 36 with a notch 37 formed therein adjacent the rear end of the cutaway ortion.

In the operation o the pistol in the usual automatic manner, the breech slide 13 is first manually retracted to position, a cartridge is pushed in the firing chamber and when the breech slide is outwardly projected, the sear 17 engages the hammer or ring pin to holdthe same retracted and in a cocked position. The safety lever 20 being normally in the path of tiring movement of the sear 17, the safety lever is automatically moved when the magazine grip 15 is grasped for operating the trigger 19, movement of the latter causing the connector 18 ,to engage the Sear 17 to release the liring pin for contact with the cartridge. When the cartridge is fired, the breech slide automatically recoils to permit ejection of the spent cartridge and the supply of a new cartridge into the tiring cham er. In order to prevent continuous or machineA gun lire of the pistol, an attachment is associated with the trigger guard 19 to limit movement of the trigger, suiiicient movement being granted the trigger to cause the connector 18 to operate the sear 17 but to limit movement of the up er end 30 of the lever 28 toward the lower e ge of the side wall 14 of the breech slide, it being understood that when the connector 18 is operated, the stop 32 carried thereby engages the pin 31 upon the lever 28 and operates the latter as will be presently described. The movement limiting means for the The upper 1 l the trigger 19 is retained in its rin positrigger includes the provision of a slotted o ening 38 in the trigger .guard through w ich the stem portion of a small block 39 projects, the block being disposed within the trigger uard and movable to the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 8. A s ringv arm 40 ivoted to the projectin end o the stem of ook 39 has the hooked ree end 41 thereof received in thenotch 42 formed in the outer face of the trigger guard 16 for holding the block 39 forwardl ositioned out of thepath of movement o t e lower end of the trigger when continuous firing of the pistol is desired, and when firing of the pistol is to bel accomplished by separate operations of the trig er, the arm 40 is moved to the position s own in Fig. 8 and can be retained by a finger of the operator with the block 39 slid rearwardl and disposed in the'p'ath of movement o the lower end of the trigger.

When the pistol is to be continuously fired,

tion with the connector 18 disengage rom the sear 17 while the stop 32 upon the connector moves the upper end 30 of the lever 28 into engagement with the side wall of the breech slide to cause the upper end 30 of the lever to be received in the notch 37.

f When the breech slide moves forwardly, the

closing movement of the breech slide oper-- ates the lever 28 to move the portion thereof below the pivot point 29-into engagement with the Sear 17 to operate the same and release the ring pin. With the trigger 19 retained in its firing position, the upper end 30 of the lever 28 1s constantl in the path of movement of the breech s 'de and continuous firing of the pistol is eifected. The upper end 30 of the lever 28 is normally spaced from the breech slide by the sprin 33 which permits the usual single firing o the pistol.

It is conventional in this art to provide a means for disengagin the connector from the sear when vthe trigger is pulled rearwardly and for holding it disengaged as long as the trigger is held in its rearward position, and for this reason specic disclosure of such means herein is believed unnecessary. However, the U. S. patents to W. J. Whiting, Nos. 803,948, November 7, 1905, and 804,694, November 14, 1905, show examples of such means that may be used or form part of the pistol with which the present attachment is employed. While the trigger 19 is shown as o the pivoted type, it is apparent that the attachment maybe employed in connection with pistols havin other types of triggers. In connection wit. the function of the lever 20, attention is directed to the U. S. patents to J. M. Browning, Nos. 747,585, December 22, 1903, and 984,519, February 14, 1911.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present inventionz it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is 1. In combination with an automatic lirearm of the breech recoil type, wherein a breech slide retracts a firing pin and places the latter in cocked position to be retained by a Sear, and wherein a trigger connector operates the sear, and wherein means is provided for holding the trigger connector disengaged from the sear, means for operating the scar operable by the breech slide. J

2. In combination with an automatic lirearm of the breech recoil type, wherein a breech slide retracts a tiring pin and places the latter in cocked position to be retained by a sear, and wherein a trigger connector operates the sear, a tensioned lever pivotally supported on the firearm with the upper end thereof-disposed adjacent the breech slide, the breech slide being constructed to engage and move the lever for operating the sear to release the firing pin.

3. In combination with an automatic'irearm of the breech recoil type, wherein a breech slide retracts a firing pin and places the latter in cocked position to be retained by a Sear, and with a trigger connector operating the sear, a tensioned lever pivotally supported on the firearm with the upper end thereof disposed adjacent the breech slide, the breech slide being constructed to engage and move the lever oroperating the sear to release the firing pin, and cooperating means carried by the lever and trigger connector for limiting movement of the up er end of the lever away from the breech s 'de.

4. In an automatic pistol, a breech slide, a firing pin, a sear for the firing pin, and a trigger and connector operating the Sear, a notch in the breech slide, and a lever adapted to engage the catch on the breech slide for operating the Sear when the trigger connector is retained disengaged from the sear.

5. In an automatic pistol, a breech slide, a firing pin, a sear for the liring pin, and a trigger and connector operating the sear, a notch in the breech slide, a lever adapted to engage the notch in the breech slide for operating the Sear when the trigger connector is retained disengaged from the sear, and cobperating means carried by the lever and trigger connector for moving the lever toward the breech slide when the trigger is operated.

6. In an automatic pistol, a breech Slide, a firing pin, a sear forthe i'iring in, and a trigger and connector operating t e sear, a

notch in the breech slide, a levei adapted to engage the notch in the breech slide for. operating the sear when the trigger connector is retained disengaged from the Sear, cooperating means carrie by the lever and trigger connector for moving the lever toward the breech slide when the trigger is o rated, and

means for limiting movement o the trigger.

to hold the lever spaced from the vbreech slide.

7. In an automatic pistoLa breech slide, a firing pin, a sear for the firing 1n., and a trig er and connector operating t e Sear, a

note in the breech slide, a. lever adapted operating the sear when the trigger connector is' retained disengaged from the Sear, cooperating means carried by'the lever and trigo'er connector-- for moving the lever towar the breech slide when the trig er is operated, anda'block slidably carried Ey the trigger guard to be moved into and out of the path of movement of the trigger to controloperation of the Sear by either the trig.

ger connector or lever.

to engage the notch inthe breech slide for 15 In testimony whereof I aix my signature.A

VINCENZO cAPoLUPo. L 

